Carburetor construction



Aug. 13, 1940. w. F. BERNSTEIN ET AL 3 9 CARBURETOR CONSTRUCTION Fil edJune 8, 1939 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES CARBURETOR CONSTRUCTIONWilbur-n F. Bernstein, Brookfield, and Ferdinand J. Bittermann, Chicago,Ill.

Application June 8. 1939, Serial No. 277,982

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel carburetor and moreparticularly to such a device provided with complementary parts soconstructed and arranged as to cause most efficient fuel atomization byforcing the liquid fuel by centrifugal pressure between thecomplementary surfaces and associated rolling members for disintegratingand atomizing the liquid fuel. In the disclosed embodiment thesecomplementary parts comprise a stationary or fixed member, a rotatablemember and rolling elements therebetween adapted to receive apredetermined quantity or flow of liquid fuel, atomizing this fuel bycentrifugal pressure and disintegrating and projecting or expelling thefuel so atomized into the path of an entering air stream and mixing andblending the fuel and air to form an efficient combustible mixture.

In the preferred embodiment liquid fuel from either a gravity orpressure supply enters a priming well which provides an initial primingsupply of fuel to be atomized. Thus the novel construction of carburetorassures a quick starting as well as a constant forced delivery of liquidfuel to the ,atomizing members, necessary in securing a quick, positiveand uniform flow of atomized fuel.

The invention further relates to a novel centrifugal fan operable todraw a predetermined or requisite quantity of air into the mixingchamber of the carburetor, which air is thoroughly mixed or blended withthe atomized fuel as this fuel is projected by centrifugal force intothe air I stream adjacent the intake of the fan.

to the novel details of the construction of the carburetor whereby theatomization of the liquid fuel, accomplished by the application ofcentrifugal force and pressure and mechanical disintegration, makespossible the useof low grade liquid fuel. The blending of this atomizedlow grade fuel with air for supporting combustion results in a highlycombustible and economical mixture suitable for use in internalcombustion engines of any make or type.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be apparent from thedisclosure, or are inherent in the device. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical cross-section of a' carburetor constructedin accordance with our invention and taken on the irregular line l--l ofFig. 4.

Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal cross-section taken in a planerepresented by the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the rotatable member shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal cross-section taken on the line 4-4 ofFig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawing, the novelcarburetor construction is provided with a sectional housing having amain body part i and an upper section 2 adapted to enclose and supportthe novel operating mechanism. Mounted within the housing is astationary or fixed member 3 having spaced radially projecting andsupporting arms 4, with their ends clamped between the annular flanges 5and t of the upper and lower sections 2 and i, respectively, andretained thereat by means of bolts '1 or other attaching means. Themember 23 is flared at its lower end and cupped in a manner to receive arotatable member 8 secured to the upper end of a shaft 9 andcontinuously rotated in any desired manner from the engine drivemechanism.

The lower flared end ill of the member 3 and the upper end of therotatable member 8 have complementary surfaces ii and i2, and eachmember is formed with an annular raceway it for the reception of aplurality of rolling and disintegrating elements M, shown in thedisclosed embodiment as in the form of balls. The complementary surfacesH and I2 are spaced apart a distance just sufficient to permit passageof the liquid fuel therebetween by centrifugal force, and with thesecomplementary surfaces and the balls l4 atomizing the liquid fuel by arolling and wiping contact. The centrifugal force and pressure createdwhen the shaft 9 and member 8 are rotated at a relatively high speed,thoroughly atomizes and projects the fuel outwardly and downwardly atthe annular discharge l5.

Liquid fuel from either a gravity or pressure supply enters through a,passage or port it into the fuel Well H. In this Well is mounted anadjustable needle valve i8 cooperating with a jet or passage in thevalve seat IQ for controlling the liquid fuel passing into a primingwell 20. In order to permit longitudinal adjustment of the needle valveand to prevent leakage of the fuel, there is provided an encompassingpacking 2i and a packing gland 22 threaded into the upper end of themember 3. This permits a ready removal and/or replacement of the needlevalve should that become necessary. The valve seat I! is likewisethreaded into the member 3, so that it may be readily removed orreplaced should the occasion arise.

Keyed or otherwise secured upon the shaft I is a centrifugal fan 23provided with an outwardly flared annular intake 24, blades 25 andradial discharge ports 26 leading to a tangentially arranged dischargeor exhaust 21 adapted to be controlled by a throttle valve 23. Bearings23 and 30 are mounted in the reduced neck 3! of the housing part I forpositioning, supporting and aligning the rotatable member 8 and the fan-23 so as to maintain these members in their proper relationship. A locknut or set collar 32 is threaded upon the shaft and is adapted to bearagainst the underside of the bearing 30 and provide a means foradjusting and proper positioning of the bearings and members 3 and 23,and compensating for any wear on the relatively rotatable parts. -Inorder to adequately lubricate the bearings, the invention comprehends aport 33 communicating with a lubricant supply and leading to the upperbearing 29 and from this bearing about the annular space or clearanceprovided between the shaft 9 and reduced neck 3| of the housing sectionI, to the lower bearing 30. Any lubricant escaping beyond the bearing 30passes along the shaft 9 and through the sleeve or housing 34 enclosingthe shaft and connecting the housing i with the power drive unit of theengine.

The throttle valve 28 is mounted upon a control shaft 35 pivotallymounted in the discharge 2! of the housing I. Attached to an extendingend of this shaft 35 isa valve operating lever 36 having an end 31connected to the usual manual and/or automatic control with whichvehicles or combustion engines are equipped. The opposite end of thelever seats against a throttle adjusting screw 38 threaded in a stop lug39 projecting from the housing i. Secured to the lever 38 intermediateits ends is a rod or lever 40 connecting with an arm or lever 4| forcontrolling the needle valve l8. The rod or lever 40 is preferably madein sections and these sections connected by a coupling or turnbuckle 42to allow for adjustment of its effective length and stroke.

The needle valve controlling arm or lever 4i is secured at its free endto a stub shaft 43 pivotally mounted in a bearing lug 44, and to thisstub shaft is secured an operating arm or lever 45 having an ellipticalopening 46 for the reception of a pivot 41 formed or provided adjacentthe upper end of the needle valve i8. A similar operating arm or lever45 is secured upon a stub shaft 43 pivotally mounted in a bearing lug 44disposed at the side of the section 2 located opposite to the bearinglug 44. This construction permits smooth operation and minute andaccurate adjustment of the needle valve. It will be apparent that theneedle valve I8 and throttle valve 28 operate together by reason of thesystem of interconnected levers.

The housing section 2 is reduced at 48 for the reception of the neck Aof an air cleaner of any desired type and construction. Air, after beingcleaned or filtered, passes through the opening or passage 49 and theannular throat 50 of the Venturi chamber. The Venturi chambercommunicates with the intake 24 of the fan where the atomized fuel andair are properly mixed and the mixture then discharged or forceablyejected through the radial discharge ports 23 of the fan to thecombustion chamber of the power plant.

Liquid fuel from either gravity or pressure supply enters the liquidfuel well through the communicating passage 16 and is controlled by theliquid fuel valve II. By a movement of the liquid fuel valve away fromthe valve seat ll, fuel is admitted into the centrifugal priming well20. When the member 8 is rotated the fuel in the centrifugal primingwell moves outwardly by centrifugal force and enters the relativelynarrow space between the complementary surfaces II and I2 of the members3 and 3 and the movable rolling members i4, thereby causing fueldisintegration and atomization.

As atomized fuel is expelled from between the complementary surfaces, itis mixed and blended with air from the Venturi chamber and enters thesuction of the centrifugal fan 23 by means of the annular intake orshroud 24. The mixture of atomized fuel and air leaves the carburetor bycentrifugal pressure through the exhaust passages or ports 26 and outletpassage or discharge 21. A collar Si is provided for attaching thecarburetor to the power unit.

The above described centrifugal pressure carburetor provides anefficient and simple mechanical means of atomizing liquid fuel andblending with air in such proportion as to secure improved combustionover prior conventional carburetors. By reason of the centrifugal forceor pressure produced, the rolling members or balls tend to moveoutwardly, thus developing increased pressure and making possible thedisintegration and mixing and blending of water or water vapor andliquid fuel, resulting in a more combustible mixture of greater power.This final combustible mixture comprises a mixed vapor phase includingwater vapor and atomized or vaporized fuel. If desired, a lubricant maylikewise be mixed and blended with the combustible mixture and deliveredto the internal parts of the engine requiring lubrication.

Although we have disclosed a preferred illustrative embodiment of ourinvention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible ofmodification and change and comprehends other details and constructionswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described our invention, we claim:

1. In a carburetor construction, a housing therefor, a stationary membermounted within the housing, a member rotatably mounted in the housingbeneath but in close proximity to said stationary member, complementarysurfaces on said members, opposed annular raceways in said members, aplurality of balls received in said raceways and having a wiping androlling contact with the outer surfaces of said raceways upon rotationof said rotatable member, a priming well located at the center of therotatable member, a controllable inlet in the stationary member forsupplying fuel to the well, and means for rotating said rotatable memberat a speed suflicient to produce centrifugal pressure forcing the liquidfuel outwardly from the priming well and between the complementarysurfaces of said members and distintegrating and atomizing this fuel bythe wiping contact between the balls and these surfaces.

2. In a carburetor construction for atomizing liquid fuel, a stationarymember and a rotatable member maintained in close proximity, rollingelements between said members and having a wiping and rolling contacttherewith upon rotation of said rotatable member, a well provided at thecentral portion of said rotatable member, means for supplying liquidfuel to the well, and means for rotating said rotatable member at aspeed sufficient to produce centrifugal pressure forcing the fueloutwardly between the adjacent surfaces of said members and the rollingelements, said members and elements being so constructed and arrangedthat as the fuel is forced outwardly by centrifugal pressure it isdisintegrated and atomized by the wiping and rolling contact between theSurfaces on said members and elements.

3. In a carburetor construction, a housing therefor, a member secured inthe housing against rotation and a member rotatable in the housincomplementary cupped surfaces on said members maintained in relativelyclose relationship, roller members received between said surfaces, meansfor supplying liquid fuel to said surfaces, and means for rotating saidrotatable member at a speed suflicient to force the fuel outwardlybetween the complementary surfaces of said members and roller membersand thereat disintegrate and atomize the fuel by contact with saidsurfaces and roller members.

4. In a carburetor construction for atomizing liquid fuel, a housingtherefor, a stationary member secured in the upper portion of saidhousin and having a passage connected with a liquid fuel supply, a valvein said member for controlling the quantity of fuel supplied, a memberrotatable in the lower portion of said housing and provided with acentrally disposed well located below said passage and valve forreceiving the fuel for initially priming the carburetor, and rollingelements intermediate said stationary and rotatable members and having awiping contact therewith for disintegrating and atomizing the liquidfuel.

5. A centrifugal pressure carburetor comprising a stationary memberadapted to be connected to a liquid fuel supply and having a passage forthe entering fuel and a valve controlling the flow of fuel to thecarburetor, a member rotatable with respect to said first mentionedmember and provided with a well for receiving the fuel supplied to thecarburetor, rolling elements between said members and having a rollingand wiping contact therewith for mechanically disintegrating and,atomizing the fuel as said last mentioned member is rotated, and meansfor mixing and blending the atomized fuel with a desired quantity of airto form a combustible mixture.

6. A centrifugal pressure carburetor for an internal combustion engine,comprising a housing, a member mounted in the housing against rotation,a liquid fuel well in said member, an adjustable control valve and seatwithin the well and provided with a jet for the liquid fuel, a membermounted for rotation within the housing and adapted to be rotated fromthe engine drive, complementary surfaces on said members maintained inclose relationship, rolling elements associated with said members fordisintegrating and atomizing the liquid fuel, a priming well locatedcentrally of the rotatable member for receiving the fuel from the fuelsupply well, a. chamber having a throat formed between the periphery ofthe non-rotatable member and the housing, and a fan having an intakeadjacent the throat and adapted to draw air through the chamber and mixand blend it with the atomized fuel, and then discharge the combustiblemixture from the carburetor by centrifugal pressure.

'7. In a carburetor construction, mechanism for disintegrating andatomizing liquid fuel comprising a stationary member and a rotatablemember maintained in close proximity, rolling elements between saidmembers, means for supplying liquid fuel to the interior of saidmembers, and means for rotating said rotatable member at a speedsufficient to produce centrifugal force causing the liquid fuel to passoutwardly between the contiguous surfaces of said members and elementsto disintegrate and atomize the fuel.

8. In a. carburetor construction for disintegrating liquid fuel, ahousing therefor, a. stationary member having an inlet for the liquidfuel, a rotatable member located below said stationary member and havinga well for receiving the fuel, complementary surfaces on said members inclose relationship with one another and having a raceway, rollingelements in said raceway adapted to move outwardly by'centrifugal force,said rolling elements having a rolling, wiping contact whereby todisintegrate and atomize the fuel.

9. In a carburetor construction for distintegrating liquid fuel,complementary members one of which is stationary and the other of whichis rotatable, means for supplying liquid fuel to the and means forsupplying liquid fuel to said surfaces and forcing the fuel outwardly bycentrifugal pressure through a tortuous path between said surfaces andelements to thereby disintegrate and atomize the fuel.

WILBURN F. BERNSTEIN.

FERDINAND J. BI'I'I'ERMANN.,

